How To Clean Laminate Floors

Laminate floors needs special care to keep clean. Here's how to keep them looking their best for years to come.

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How to Clean Laminate Flooring Properly

For regular cleaning, just sweep floors regularly with a soft-bristle broom. You can also vacuum using a soft-brush attachment which will help you avoid scratching the flooring. The Home Depot recommends using the hard floor setting on the vacuum to stop the beater brush from rotating so it won’t scratch the floor.

“To clean up a small spill of liquid on laminate flooring, simply get paper towel or cloth and wipe it up. If you have a sticky or staining liquid, try the solution of one part vinegar to three parts water,” notes Best Laminate, an Ohio-based flooring business.

How to Spot Treat Stains

For tough spots such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink or tar, Shaw Floors suggests using acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth. After removing the stain, wipe the area with a clean, damp cloth to remove any remaining residue.

“For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth,” according to Shaw Floors.

What About Steam Cleaning?

While a steam cleaner is great at getting grim out of some hard-flooring surfaces, it should not be used when cleaning laminate floors. “The intense heat and moisture it uses to get the job done can also wreak havoc on the adhesive used on your laminate floors,” according to The Flooring Professionals. “Once the steam and moisture break down the adhesive holding the laminate down it will begin to bubble up and may even come loose.”

In addition to avoiding steam cleaning, Shaw Floors suggests avoiding using steel wool, abrasive cleaners and strong ammoniated or chlorinated cleaners. And finally, never use any type of buffing or polishing machine on your laminate floors.